Occupant propelled roundabout



g 17, 1954 w. F. BEHRENS OCCPPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Filed June 12. 1952 Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention is an amusement device and it is one object of the invention to provide an amusement device for children and which will operate by using the manual energy of the children, and therefore will aid in the development of sound and strong bodies.

Another object ofthe invention lies in the provision of an amusement device which is adapted to carry a number of persons and be actuated by said persons.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an amusement device having a novel uni-directional rotatable motivating means for utilizing the physical energy of the occupants to activate the device.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an amusement device which is very easily constructed with a minimum number of parts and which is very effective for its purpose an not liable to break down or become inoperative.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts,

Figure l is a plan view of the device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross section of the device,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of a portion of the supportin post and its companion parts,

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section as at line 4-4 of Figure 2, and,

Figure 5 is a view as at line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the present invention is an amusement device of the Merry-Go-Round type and has a supporting base In having an annular tubular ring it divided in quarters by cross braces (not shown) Of suitable materia1 such as angle or channel iron and secured at their inner ends to .a concentric upstanding vertical hollow post [2 braced by means of angled braces l3 secured at their inner ends to the post at a point above its lower end, and at their outer ends the braces are secured to the cross braces midway their lengths, thus providing a rigid supporting base.

A collar or rin I 4 is secured about the post [2 at or above the point where braces 13 are secured and constitutes a support for annular rotatable platform IS. The platform is provided with a bearing housing I6 which has a bearin receiving socket I'l open downwardly and in which a timken type or radial-thrust bearing I8 is confined. The bearing l8 fits about the post l2 and rests upon collar M to support the platform.

Radially extending fingers l9 are carried by the housing It and have transverse bolt holes for receiving bolts 20 which clamp angle iron frame legs 2! to the fingers. An annular tubular ring 22 is welded or otherwise secured about the outer ends of the legs 2|. Other angle braces 23 are secured at their lower outer ends to the legs 2! substantially midway their lengths and extend upwardly at an inward incline where they are secured to a platform levelin ring 24 having an internal bearing sleeve 25 loosely fitting about post 2 for rotation thereabout. Seats 26 are carried by the platform and may be constructed as shown or of other ornamental design to delight the hearts of youngsters who play thereon. The seats shown have a foot support as 26' to provide purchase for manually motivatin the platform. A covering 50 is applied over the platform frame to preclude the possibility of a child getting into the parts which move relative to each other where he might be injured.

The platform motivating means 21 is basically a number of radial levers 28 united at the center and having a depending stem 29 extending within post l2 and rotatable therein. The levers, as shown, are united by means of a relatively large disc 30 of concave-convex shape and each lever is supplied with a wheel 3| to be grasped by a child seated on the companion seat. Stem 29 is secured to disc 3!] centric thereof by means of a collar 3| bolted or otherwise secured to the disc 36 and also secured to the stem '29. The collar has a lower face 33 which rests upon a thrust bearing 34 which in turn rests upon the cover plate 35 of an over-running clutch housing 36 secured to the upper end of post l2, as by set bolts 31.

The over-running clutch consists of a number of tapered bearing receiving slots 38 disposed in the housing and about the stem 29 and springs 39 urge the balls into gripping relation with said stem so that stem 29 may be rotated counterclockwise, but not clockwise, therefore being uni-directional in its rotational movement. It can easily be seen that a person sitting on one of the seats and pulling a lever to rotate the stem counterclockwise, will cause the clutch to lock and the platform will rotate about the post 12. However, when pull is released, the motivating means may rotate freely clockwise. The

platform may thus be rotated by successively pulling and releasing the pressure on the motivating means.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising a vertically supported non-rotatable hollow post; said post having an annular collar spaced upwardly from its lower end; a radial-thrust bearing encircling said post and supported on said collar; an annular platform having a centric bearing housing rotatablysupported on said bearing for rotatably supporting said platform; a platform leveling ring carried by the platform and spaced upwardly from said bearing and in lencirclingree lation to said post; a bearing sleeve within said ring and rotatable about said post; aplurality of seats carried by said platform; ,a. downwardly curved concave-convex disc disposed'in a substantially horizontal plane concentric with said post; a depending stem secured to the disc and extending downwardly into said post; a thrust bearingintermediate said post and stem for rotatably supporting the disc; a uni-directional over-running clutch uniting said post and stem; and means on the disc adapted to be grasped by occupants of the seats, .wherebymanual pressure rotates said platform.

2. In an amusement devicelliaving an annular platformadapted to carry a number of persons and rotatably supported about a non-rotatable hollow post; platform motivating mechanism comprising a. dischaving? a coaxial depending stern loosely fitting within saidvhollow post; said disc having 7 a plurality of radially extending levers secured thereto and carrying wheels on their outer ends; a uni-directional over-running clutch secured to the upperend of said post and operably connected to'said stem; and a thrust 4 7 bearin intermediate said post and disk to rotatably support the disk.

3. In an amusement device having a supporting base including a vertically disposed hollow post and a manually operable motivating means rotatably carried by the post and operably connected therewith by means of a uni-directional over-running clutch; a rotatable platform comprising a collar secured about the post upwardly spaced from its lower end; a radiaLthrust bearing snugly encircling said'post and supported upon said collar; a downwardly open bearing housing rotatab-ly supported upon said bearing;

7 radially extendin integral fingers circumferentially spaced about said housing; legs secured one to-eachsaidfinger and extending axially therefrom; anannular ring secured to and uniting the ends of said legs; angle braces secured to the legs intermediate their lengths and extending upwardly at an inward incline; the upper ends of said braces being securedto a ring encircling said post upwardly spaced from said collar; a

bearing sleeve coaxial with said'ring and journaled on said post; and a covering overlaying the angle braces and the outer end portions'of the legs.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS Sebel July 1'7, 1951 

